An inquest has opened into the deaths of two rugby players who died while on tour in Sri Lanka.

Thomas Andrew Howard and Thomas Reed Baty, both from Durham, died in Colombo while on tour with Clems Pirates, part of Durham City Rugby Club, earlier this year. 

Crooks Coroner's Court heard that an investigation by Sri Lankan authorities found that both men had died as a result of the use of opiates.

They were discovered in their hotel room on the morning of Sunday, May 13, suffering from serious respiratory failure.

DC McElhone told the court that Howard died that morning whilst en-route to the hospital while Mr Baty died on Tuesday 15th May in the hospital intensive care unit.

The pair had travelled to Sri Lanka on May 9 as part of a 25-strong team, which was in the country to play some rugby matches and do charity work.

The court heard that they had played a match with the Ceylonese rugby team on Saturday, May 12, before having food and drink with the team.

They returned to the Kingsbury Hotel, at about 11pm before going to a local nightclub, where the team stayed until sometime between 2 to 3am.

It is understood that Mr Baty and Mr Howard left the club together and took a Tuk-Tuk together. They were found in their room the next morning.

The Sri Lankan investigation concluded that Howard's cause of death was by intoxication of heroin and Mr Baty's cause of death was an overdose of opiates, the court heard.

DC McElhone told the court that police were aware of and had requested further evidence from the authorities in Sri Lanka including witness statements, CCTV, photographs and transcripts of interviews.

He said it was uncertain when evidence would be finalised.